


i'd go anywhere (oh why can't you just see that)

by daegusans



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Best Friends, Bittersweet Ending, Chansoo are best friends, Chanyeol is kind of a little shit, Foreign Exchange Student, Friends to Lovers, Heartbreak, Jongin is a new kid, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, but kyungsoo really thought, but mainly sad, chanbaek is unestablished, falling for a friend, fate amiright, jongin is a soft baby, jongin loves sunrises, kyungsoo loves sunsets, sebaek is unestablished, sebaekyeol??, they are made for eachother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 23:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13375518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daegusans/pseuds/daegusans
Summary: kyungsoo meets jongin after he flies to America as a foreign exchange student. with only 6 months, the two bond quickly and soon become very close friends.six months isn't very much time.kyungsoo doesn't believe it is possible to fall in love with someone after knowing them for only a few months, but jongin proves him wrong. he proves him so, so wrong.





	i'd go anywhere (oh why can't you just see that)

**Author's Note:**

> soooo, hi. this is just a little oneshot i started on a plane and then suddenly i poured my heart out into it and uh. yeah. here it is. i've never really... completed anything? i've typed so many stories but they never really came to a close. except for this one. 
> 
> i've been hella deep in my kaisoo feels recently so i decided that maybe,,, m a y b e,, i should type a oneshot. 
> 
> and here it is.
> 
> enjoy.

**Day 1**

 

Kyungsoo really didn’t want to go back to school. It was quite possibly, like, his least favourite place on the planet. The kids were loud, obnoxious, and disrespectful. He hoped that by grade 11 they would at least mature, but he was wrong. They didn’t. In fact, it seemed they got worse as their age increased. Not only did they walk around at heights that sometimes towered him, but their brains seemed to have shrunk along the way. Trudging miserably to the entrance of the school building, he tore the doors open and inhaled. In his ears blasted some mindless rap song, the artist spitting the words so quickly he couldn’t understand what was being said. Narrowing his eyes even more, he pulled his hood further over his face, avoiding all gazes. He pulled out his phone and shot a text to his best friend.

**You** : Where are you? Five minutes into the new school year and I already want to turn around and leave.

**Chanyeol** : I’m hiding near the library with Baek dude

Kyungsoo smirked at this. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were almost inseparable at this point. They spent pretty much all of their time together and Kyungsoo simply third wheeled with them. Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Kyungsoo made a sharp right down the main hall and then another right and passed the entrance to the library. He knew where they would be. In front of him was a barely used staircase and underneath that he knew the two would be hiding. He stopped in his tracks and allowed his jaw to drop when he saw Chanyeol’s hair. He quickly turned down his music and stared in disbelief. It was as red as an apple. _This boy really went and dyed his hair without tellin-_

“Shut your mouth, goodness,” piped Baekhyun, glaring playfully at Kyungsoo. “See something different?”

“Uh, yeah. Chanyeol, why do you look like an apple?”

“An apple?” exclaimed the tall boy. “I do not look like an apple, thank you. The red suits me very, very well.” He said this and huffed, pulling his flannel further over his shoulders.

“Okay, fine. You look fabulous. I just wish you had told me before I had to witness this huge culture shock.”

“C-culture sho-”

“And Baekhyun, your hair looks different,” Kyungsoo continued, turning his attention to the oldest of the three. “Did you cut it?”

“Yes, I did. Thank you for noticing,” he replied stiffly, adjusting it in a self conscious manner.

“Mhm. How have you all been? I haven’t seen you in a solid two days.”

Chanyeol chuckled at this and flashed a smile. “We’ve been great. I dyed my hair Sunday and Baek cut his hair yesterday. We wanted to surprise you and the others.”

“Well, you’ve done just that. Speaking of the others, where are they? Sehun finally hit sophomore year after barely graduatin-”

As if summoned by some ritual, a tall boy with dark and spiked hair made his way down the hallway. He towered above Kyungsoo, which the shorter boy greatly disliked, and smirked. “I heard my name?” he hollered.

“Speak of the devil,” muttered Kyungsoo as he spun to face the youngest boy. “Welcome back to highschool. How’s it feel to be in school again, Stick?”

“Shut up,” he whined in response, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been here for a good 30 seconds and you’re already making fun of me-” Chanyeol and Baekhyun snorted in unison before bursting out in laughter. Kyungsoo giggled and flashed a smiled at the two. As much as he couldn’t stand school, his friends made it so much easier. He looked back at Sehun and cocked his head.

“Got any good classes?”

“I dunno how great the teachers are but they should all be fairly easy.”

“Great, if you need tutoring in 3rd grade math just let me kn-”

“Oh shut _up_! Just because I’m a sophomore and you’re a junior doesn’t mean you’re suddenly some adult meanwhile I’m stuck as a nine year old.”

Their brief conversation was cut even shorter as the bell rang overhead and announced that they had five minutes until their classes began. Instantly Chanyeol and Baekhyun sighed and stretched from where they stood.

“Guess it’s time to go,” Sehun sighed, looking nervous. Kyungsoo patted his back and smiled reassuringly.

“You’ll be fine. Just keep your wits about you. If anyone chooses to mess with my favourite twin tower-”

“I heard that!” interjected Chanyeol from the background.

“-I’ll kick their butts. Got it?”

“Got it. Thanks Kyungsoo.”

“Aight. See you later,” pulling his bag back over his shoulder, Kyungsoo nodded at Chanyeol and Baekhyun before departing to his first class of the day. He glanced at the room number and brightened when he realised it was only one hallway away. While he made the small journey to the classroom, he couldn’t help the bubble of anxiety that welled up inside him. _If I get any of those idiots from last year in my classes I will commit murder._ He swore to himself. Kyungsoo looked up and saw the room number he was looking for. The boy fixed a scowl on his face and entered the room, spotting a few familiar kids and a few he didn’t know. _Okay. This is okay. I’ll be alright in here._

He chose to sit next to a nervous looking boy about his age whom he had never seen before. The first thing Kyungsoo noticed was that he was obviously Korean. He had dark hair which matched his big, soft eyes. His jawline was sharp and he was obviously fit. His lips were full and his nose was pretty. _Cute_. Kyungsoo thought as he sat down wearily. He slid his black backpack under his chair and slumped on his desk, peering at the stranger out of the corner of his eye. The boy had a nicely fitting blue polo shirt and black ripped jeans that hugged his legs. On his feet he wore a pair of new vans. Looking back up at the boy’s face Kyungsoo realized he had been caught staring. As they met eyes, the stranger’s face flushed and he looked away hurriedly. _Oops_. Biting the inside of his cheek, Kyungsoo pulled out his phone and scrolled through Twitter as he waited for the teacher to get into the room.

Not even five minutes later a grumpy white lady with grey hair stormed into the room, dropping her bag on the ground in a flustered manner. She whipped out a list, which he assumed to be attendance, and scanned the class through narrowed eyes. On her head was a messy bun that looked old. She wore a fitted purple dress that stopped a little above her knees and heels that gave her at least two inches of height. Worry lines were engraved into her forehead as she waited for all the students to finish entering the room. The moment the big hand of the clock hit 9 the bell went off and she simultaneously clapped her hands and rushed to shut the door.

“Hi, welcome back. I’m sure all of you are _elated_ to be back here today, and I can say that the feeling is definitely shared among the students and staff,” she said, voice cracked and heavy with sarcasm. _She literally sounds like she smokes a pack a day._ Kyungsoo thought to himself, chuckling inwardly. “I’m Mrs.Eagle. Yes, like the bird. If any of you crack any dumb jokes I will have your head on display for the whole school.”

“Isn’t that a little harsh?” Spoke up one kid, a freshman by the looks of it.

“Making fun of someone’s name is harsh,” she deadpanned in reply, cocking an challenging eyebrow at the kid. “What’s your name?”

Squeaking, he shrunk back into his seat. “D-Devon.”

“And what grade are you in?”

“Ninth, ma’am.”

“Obviously,” she said, looking him up and down before returning her attention back to the whole class. This earned her some _ooohs_ and she plastered a smug look on her face. “Anyways, I’m going to call attendance now. If I mess up your name, just correct me.”

As she went down the list, Kyungsoo manage to make her voice background noise for the time being.

“Ky-Kyoong-” she struggled.

“Kyungsoo,” he replied flatly. _Every time._

“Right, Kyungsoo. Hello,” she said, cracking a smile before continuing down the list. She stumbled over a few more names before the kid next to him spoke up. “John-jin?”

“Jongin,” he corrected, sounding slightly embarrassed. Kyungsoo almost snapped his neck looking at the kid. _Jongin_. He repeated in his head.

“Ah. Hello, Jongin,” Mrs.Eagle said, nodding at him.

Kyungsoo noticed that Jongin remained stiff as she continued to call the attendance. Teeth rolling over his bottom lip, the boy watched the teacher nervously. _Soon he’s going to have as many permanent worry lines as bird lady._ Mused Kyungsoo. He turned his attention back to the teacher as she went over the rules. It was the same old _no drugs, no alcohol, no bullying_ that he had heard since he started school.

“Now, I hope you’re happy with the seats you’ve chosen because they will not change for the entire first quarter. If you don’t know your desk partner, I guess you’ll have to make new friends for a change, huh? I’m going to give all of you around 10 minutes to get adjusted, talk to your neighbors, get to know everyone, alright? Try not to give me a headache while you’re at it,” she added bitterly, retreating to her desk.

The blood roared in Kyungsoo’s ears as he met eyes with Jongin for the second time. _How do I start a conversation? What do I say? God, I ha-_

“Hello,” spoke the new kid, his voice reflecting about the same amount of anxiety as Kyungsoo felt. He had a slight accent, but it wasn’t bad.

“Hi,” Kyungsoo replied nervously, eyeing Jongin suspiciously. “Uh, are you new here? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“Yeah,” replied the other. “I moved from Korea a few weeks ago. I’ll be here for 6 months before I move back.”

“O-oh!” squeaked Kyungsoo. “That’s awesome. Both of my parents are Korean, they moved from Korea a long time ago, though.”

“Mhm. I’m an…,” Jongin paused for a minute to think of the word. “...Exchange student. Foreign exchange student.”

“I see. That’s cool. I hope your few months here aren’t terrible, some of the kids in this area are pretty rude,” he smiled nervously, immediately regretting having ever spoken. _That was a dumb thing to say._

_“_ I will ignore them,” Jongin chuckled, and oh _God_ was that one of the most beautiful sounds Kyungsoo had ever heard. Jongin was friendly, and Kyungsoo liked that. He seemed genuine and kind. They smiled at each other for a second before the older boy cleared his throat.

“So, uh, do you have any hobbies?”

“Dancing,” Jongin replied immediately. “I love to dance. And sing. But mainly dancing.”

“That’s so cool, how long have you been dancing for?”

“Ah… I don’t remember. Since I was very young.”

“You must be really good.”

Giggling, Jongin shook his head. “I won’t stop you from thinking that.”

Kyungsoo smirked and looked down. “I like to sing. And I like to act. I’m okay at dancing.”

Jongin perked at this, obviously relieved that his first American friend has similarities. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s cool. I hope we can become good friends, Kyungsoo.”

“Me too. If you want, I can introduce you to my close friends. I already know they will like you,” he remarked with a small wink.

“A-ah, sure! When?”

“When you’re ready. We just met, and you’re new. I don’t want to rush you.”

"Thank you,” Jongin softened from his slight panic and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Anytime-” Cut short by three harsh claps, both boys looked at the head of the class room where their teacher stood. “Okay. I don’t think that was ten minutes but it was more than enough for my ears. They are very sensitive and you all talk more than my mother. At least your stories are actually entertaining. I can learn so much from high schoolers- ah, I’m getting side tracked. Anyway, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be sending you all home with the Algebra 2 syllabus to get signed by your parents!” The class groaned, and Kyungsoo looked at Jongin and smirked. The foreign boy smirked back, shaking his head. Class dragged on from there. More discussions over the units they would be covering, and what Mrs.Eagle expected from the class. _Sigh_.

At least Kyungsoo had Jongin to help him through.

 

**Day 21**

 

Chanyeol swung a large tree limb at the bushes that blocked the five boys’ way. Behind him followed Baekhyun, who wore a dangerous scowl, Sehun, whose hands were rested on Baek’s shoulders, and Kyungsoo and Jongin who walked side by side. The trees just barely blocked their way, but through the dying leaves a brilliant sunset could be seen. Pink clouds streaked the sky ontop of different shades of orange and yellow. The more Kyungsoo panned up, the darker the blanket got. The full moon shone down on them and the North Star along with a few other soft dots could be seen. Kyungsoo was pretty sure no one loved the sunset more than he did. He was fascinated and inspired by the colours. The sunset made him want to stand on the highest cliff and sing while the fall breeze carried his voice into nature. He wanted to lay on the grass and find shapes in the clouds. He wanted to dedicate a star to someone.

“Look at those colours,” Baekhyun pointed out breathlessly, looking back at Kyungsoo because he knew that his friend adored the sunset.

“They are stunning, aren’t they?” he replied, equally as amazed. For every shade of the sky he could imagine a different song to sing for the wind.

“Oh, wow,” Chanyeol exclaimed from up ahead. “Guys, check this out.” He said, waving them forward. Kyungsoo almost cried.

In front of him was an explosion of colour. With no trees to block the view, he could see everything. There was so much more than the orange and pink. Tucked into the crevice between two distant mountains was gold, left and right of that a blue-ish yellow. Above them was a fiery orange that highlighted the soft, pink clouds that painted the sky. The brilliant orange faded into a pastel rosey tint which blanketed a good majority of the sky before turning into a delicate purple. That purple shifted into a blue which eventually trickled into a deeper ombre blue, and in that deep blue nested the moon. He was left stunned for a second, all surroundings fading as he was enraptured by the sky. What snapped him out of his trance was Jongin’s soft voice.

“You love the sunset a lot, Kyungsoo,” he stated, half for himself and half for his friend.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, turning to the taller boy. Then his breath caught in his throat. Jongin looked ethereal. His already perfect features were highlighted with a beautiful orange that kissed his honey coloured skin. His brown eyes were soft, considerate, and understanding. His lips curled into a pretty smile and he tilted his head.

“It really is pretty. Beautiful. Ah…” he thought for a minute, digging through his vocabulary for a better word. “Stunning. It’s stunning.” _Like you._ Thought Kyungsoo, before turning away and looking at the sky again.

“Yeah,” he replied stiffly. _Stop it._ _Don’t start this._ For a long time the five friends stared out at the setting sun, standing silently. Here, Kyungsoo felt peaceful. Here, he was happy. With his friends and the setting sun, nothing more.

Jongin was amazing.

 

**Day 56**

 

Kyungsoo loved the sunset, but not the sunrise. The sunrise simply meant he was waking up too early. He jammed his fingers down on the stop button of his phone alarm and growled. As he ran a hand through his messy hair and rubbed his eye, he scowled at the darkness outside. The clock read 4:50 AM and he moaned out loud. _Not even the sun is awake. Too early._

“Jongin’s lucky I actually like him,” he grumbled mindlessly as he wondered into the bathroom to shower. As the fiery water ran down his back he sighed. Why had he agreed to go hiking this at ungodly hours? The crack of dawn? Washing the shampoo out of his hair, he shook his head again. It’s not even the crack of dawn yet. Around thirty minutes later he got out of the shower, switching off the water and climbing out. He reached for his towel, quickly drying himself before he froze to death. Not to mention how cold it is. After yanking a sweater over his bare torso and pulling on some sweatpants, Kyungsoo shot Jongin a text to make up he was actually awake.

**You** : Hey, I got up at the asscrack of dawn for you. You up?

**Jongin** : yeah lol i’ve been up for a while. i’ll be at your house around 5:45.

**You** : Okay, see you then.

He slowly made his way down the stairs, trudging into the kitchen, careful not to wake his parents who slept on the main level. The pantry door creaked quietly as it swung open and he winced. His eyes scanned the shelves, looking for a breakfast bar. “Ah,” the boy exclaimed in a hushed manner, ripping it from the shelves and unwrapping it before cramming the whole thing in his mouth. Water. The glass cup was cold on his skin as he filled it up and quickly he downed all the contents, nearly choking. He lurched forward and swallowed. _We are not dying this morning. Not today_. After recovering from his tragic near death, Kyungsoo snagged a jacket and pulled open the front door, carefully shutting it behind him as he stepped out into the crisp, early morning air. Cursing under his breath, he exhaled loudly as he took a stiff seat on the porch steps.

**You** : It’s 5:30, I’m assuming you’re on your way?

**Jongin** : i can’t text and drive. ;)

**You** : Asshole, do you even have an american license?

**Jongin** : pft, of course. don’t worry about it.

The small teen shivered and hugged himself while he waited for Jongin to arrive at his house. His lip was snagged nervously under his front teeth as he anticipated his friend. Where would they be going, anyway? He trusted Jongin, probably a little too much, and had easily agreed to sneaking out at 5:30 in the morning. To where? He had no idea. But he didn’t care. He enjoyed his time with Jongin, and knew the younger boy felt the same way. They enjoyed each other’s presence. In the short time they had met, the two were incredibly close. Inseparable, practically. Chanyeol constantly commented on how they were attached at the hip. As much as it embarrassed Kyungsoo, he knew that Yeol wasn’t lying. They were attached at the hip. They did everything together. Where Kyungsoo went, Jongin followed. And vise versa. He sighed. Headlights pierced the fog and a small car pulled into the driveway. _Where did he get that car?_ The door to the vehicle popped open and out stepped Jongin, bundled in a big navy blue coat. As he waved in Kyungsoo’s direction, the older boy hopped up and briskly made way to his friend.

“Where are we headed?”

“Surprise,” smirked Jongin, getting back in the car and casting a mischievous glance back at Kyungsoo who was making his way to the passenger’s seat.

“Pfft. Okay. Where’d you get the car?”

“Rented it. My host family let me.”

“Oh, I see."

There was a span of silence between the two. It wasn’t awkward, it was peaceful. The sky was still dark and the beginnings of orange and soft yellows began to hug the horizon. The sun was still asleep. The trees blurred by as they travelled down the familiar road that lead deeper into the woods. To the hiking trails. To the hiking trail. Realization hit Kyungsoo all to late and before he knew it they were already parked at the head of the path. “Why-”

“Sh. Just follow me, okay? You know where we are going already. Just… follow,” Jongin hushed him, his voice low and deep. Kyungsoo’s heart beat loudly in his chest. Around them the hum of morning bugs echoed off the trees and the leaves cracked under their shoes. The wind was stiller here but the air was cold and for a second Kyungsoo thought he could see his breath. Eyebrows furrowed, he continued to follow his friend into the woods.

About five minutes into the walk Jongin reached back. “Hold my hand,” he said.

“What?”

“I said, hold my hand.”

“Why?”

“You’re short and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Oh you f-” Kyungsoo nailed his fist into Jongin’s shoulder, flustered but laughing.

“I’m kidding, but really. Hold my hand!”

“Why? You’re being weird.”

“Oh my God, Soo. Just hold it.”

Jongin huffed and snatched Kyungsoo’s hand, lacing their fingers together. He stuck his tongue out before spinning back around. Heat crept up the shorter boy’s face but he kept walking, kept following. Outside it was cold and Jongin’s hand was warm so Kyungsoo held on tightly and allowed Jongin to lead him to the small spot Chanyeol had found barely a month ago. The tree branches scratched their faces and both boys cursed silently as they continued their journey. They sighed and sat together when they finally reached their destination. By now the orange and yellows had spread further into the dark blue of the early morning sky and the sun’s rays were just beginning to caress the mountainsides. The stars were beginning to fade but the moon still remained visible and proud overhead. It was times like this when Kyungsoo wished he had a camera.

“So,” Jongin said after a couple minutes, clearing his throat. “I know you love the sunset. And I love the sunrise. So, I guess… I guess I wanted to show you something that I loved.”

Kyungsoo kicked the dirt beneath his feet and smiled shyly at the ground. “That’s very nice of you,” he said.

“Mmm. Wait a few minutes for the sun to rise into the sky so all of the colours are visible. The sunrise is just as stunning as the sunset. Have you ever woken up to see a sunrise?”

“No, I haven’t. I’m not one for waking up early, really. I prefer to stay up.”

“I see. Well, even if you hate the morning, you’ll love the sunrise. I promise you’ll understand,” Jongin tore his gaze from the distance and looked at Kyungsoo, smiling brightly. The older boy tried to pretend that his insides didn’t completely melt at the look of happiness on his friend’s face. Silence blanketed them once more as they watched the sun slowly climb the sky.

And as Jongin had promised, the sunrise was stunning. It was the position of the fiery ball that lit the world around them. A soft sheet of orange coated the bare trees in the valley below them. The mountains looked enchanting in the light, like they were out of some fantasy story. The sky was a beautiful explosion of warm colours and Kyungsoo couldn’t help but let his jaw drop. It was absolutely stunning. Like an artist took a brush and mindlessly yet carefully streaked yellows, oranges, and blues on the canvas that was the sky, it was a masterpiece. Something that belonged in a photo. Or a museum.

He turned to Jongin, eyebrows in his hairline. The boy, however, was still watching the sky. He looked so peaceful and content. _Like me, but when I watch the sunset. We really are the same, but also opposite._ His lips were parted slightly, his features even. Every inch of his skin was breathtaking. His eyelashes in the bright light were dainty and highlighted, his cupid’s bow was deep and well defined.

“Jongin, I…” he hesitated, voice catching in his throat. “Thank you.”

Visibly melting, the younger boy’s cheeks flushed and he quickly glanced at Kyungsoo. “Why are you thanking me?”

He realized then that he didn’t have just one reason to thank Jongin. So he shook his head. “Just, thank you.”

Kyungsoo was whipped.

 

**Day 93**

 

Kyungsoo was 100% sure that Jongin hung the moon and stars.

He started noticing these feelings early on in their friendship but decided to push them out. Bad decision. Like anything else he tried to ignore, this came back to bite him. The feelings came in full force. Kyungsoo didn’t think it was possible to fall in complete and utter love with someone after knowing them for only 3 months.

He was wrong.

Everything Jongin did was his poison and his antidote. The way he walked, talked, smiled, laughed, sang, and danced. Oh, how he danced. His body moved so fluidly, like it was natural to be able to do what Jongin did. But it wasn’t natural. Kyungsoo knew lots of singers, dancers, actors, and artists. They all had talent. Jongin was different. What he had was beyond talent and it was way more than Kyungsoo could put into words.

Jongin was ethereal.

 

**Day 133**

 

“Aye, Kyungsoo, can you and your boyfriend come over Friday night? Just to chill.”

“Chanyeol. I swear to God, he is not my boyfriend,” He felt his cheeks heat up but scowled to hide his embarrassment. “I know I can come over, why not ask Jongin yourself?”

“Fine, fine. I was just teasing you, no need to get so defensive,” he replied, chuckling. Chanyeol patted an irritated Kyungsoo’s head and allowed his smile to fall when he noticed that the shorter boy wasn’t amused. “Look, I’m sorry. You seem off, do you want to talk about it or something? You know I’m always listening.”

“Not now, Chanyeol. Get to class,” sighed Kyungsoo. _Oh, I’m fantastic. I feel like my world is falling apart because the love of my life is leaving for Korea in two and a half months, never to come back. I can’t tell him how I feel because he’s most likely straight and I’m most definitely not. He doesn’t know that the fact that he is alive and breathing literally lights up my life. I would just scare him off_. He coughed, shaking his head before diving into his first class. With Jongin.

The boy was already seated, smiling so brightly and waving at Kyungsoo when he saw him enter the door. He wore a big turtleneck sweater that covered his hands. It was grey and woolly and probably like the most comfortable thing on the planet. “Hi, Kyungsoo. Ready for our test today?” he asked, a hint of a challenge in his voice.

“I’d rather choke than take it. How about you?”

“I didn’t study.”

“Fantastic. Sounds like we’re both set up for success,” Kyungsoo joked, smiling down at Jongin. His friend grinned back, shaking his head to stifle a laugh. He sat, dumping his bag on the ground and landed in the chair with a grunt. “Oh, uh, Chanyeol was wondering if you wanted to come hang out with the gang Friday night.”

Laughing, he replied with a raised eyebrow. “Why doesn’t he ask me? But sure, I’ll go I guess.”

“I guess? You asshat-” Kyungsoo flicked Jongin’s nose and snorted. The younger teen retaliated by swatting his hand.

“I’m kidding. Of course I’ll come. You few are my only friends in this entire country.” He grinned, but Kyungsoo couldn’t help the wave of jealousy that washed over him when he thought of Jongin’s friends back in Korea. Sure, they were missing him a lot but when he returned back home they would see him as much as they liked. Kyungsoo only had a measly 6 months. Only 6 months to bond with Jongin before the boy was torn away from him, never to be seen again. He shivered at the thought. He didn’t want to think about moving day. Jongin spoke very highly of his friends back in Seoul. It was obvious they were close, like brothers, even. He was the youngest of them all. Minseok was the oldest. He was cool, talented, and fun to talk to. Then there was Junmyeon, who had a very handsome face, golden pipes, and was very smart. Yixing, who was Chinese, was an incredible singer. And finally there was Jongdae, who had a smirk like a cat and a voice like an angel. They were a group of artists. They supported each other and practiced together all the time, though they weren’t a band. Just a group of friends. Kyungsoo envied that.

Kyungsoo was selfish.

 

**Day 136**

 

Stepping out of the car with Jongin after they arrived at Chanyeol’s house was both the first and last thing Kyungsoo wanted to do. He knew there would be unrelenting teasing about how close he and the foreign boy had grown and he really didn’t want Jongin to get scared off. Sure, he’d been in their friend group for over four months now but part of Kyungsoo was nervous that his walls would break and one day the teasing would become too much and he would crack some corny gay joke that simply screamed _hey, I’m actually in love with you but I can’t tell you._ That was most definitely the last thing he wanted to happen.

His breath came out in clouds that melted in the air and after being in the cold for fifteen seconds he was already tired of it. With Jongin behind him, Kyungsoo banged on the front door. He zipped his jacket even further up his face and sighed into the material. “Chanye-” as if on command the door was abruptly opened and Chanyeol ushered the two inside.

“Sorry, sorry. W-we didn’t hear you,” laughed the tall boy awkwardly. Behind him stood Baekhyun, hand on his neck, and behind Baekhyun stood Sehun. He didn’t even want to know. After Jongin and Kyungsoo stripped their jackets, all five of them made their way upstairs to Chanyeol’s big bonus room and collapsed on the floor.

“What’ve you all been doing?”

“Just watching some shows and we played some Mario Kart. Same old.”

“Mario Kart?” Jongin piped up, interest sparking his dark gaze.

“Yeah,” replied Chanyeol, a curious smirk plastered on his face. “You any good?”

“The best.”

“Bring it on.”

Three of them sat back and watched as Jongin challenged Chanyeol to three of the toughest Mario Kart tracks. In the first one it was close. They both had stable places in 1st and 2nd but at the last second a blue shell struck the taller boy and sent him yelling a string of curses. Jongin sat, looking triumphant as Chanyeol pitched his fit. In the second course the tides turned for the foreign boy, leaving him with a bad start while Chanyeol kept first place with ease. The third course was more neck and neck than the first. The two loudly chased each other around the track, throwing insults. In the last second, however, Jongin got three red mushrooms and used them all, boosting himself way ahead of Chanyeol.

He won best 2 out of 3.

Yelping happily, the foreign boy flew back and tossed his controller, pointing at Chanyeol and laughing. He landed in Kyungsoo’s lap heavily, earning a grunt from the smaller boy. The five of them laughed together, Chanyeol a little more bitter than the rest.

“You really are good,” he said, biting the inside of his cheek.

“I practiced on my flight over to America,” Jongin replied with a playful wink.

“Get off of me, you big _bear_ ,” Kyungsoo whined over them, trying to shove the bigger boy off.

“O-oh, sorry,” quickly Jongin sat up, adjusting his shirt and retrieving the controller that he had thrown. “Good game, Chanyeol.”

“You got lucky. I’d beat you any other time,” Baekhyun and Sehun snickered behind the tallest boy’s words.

“Chanyeol, you giant baby. Learn to accept defeat.”

“Shut up, Kyungsoo. I don’t see _you_ playing this game.”

“I don’t have time to play or practice Mario Kart,” these words earned some bothered whines from both Chanyeol and Jongin.

“Right, I forgot you spend time with the Drama kids everyday.”

“Zip it, buddy,” Kyungsoo then added with a growl, “Before I make you.”

“Wow. I’m terrified.”

The smaller boy swung at Chanyeol, catching his shoulder with his fist before retreating onto the couch with a laugh. “You should be.”

“Aye, don’t hit me!”

“Awe, is the Mario Kart master _hurt_?”

“Kyungsoo!”

The room erupted in laughter as the two argued, Chanyeol rubbing his sore shoulder with a hiss. Jongin’s eyebrows twisted with minor confusion for second but then he laughed. Kyungsoo’s heart twisted. How could anyone look so beautiful while doing something as simple as laughing? His eyes disappeared into his rosey cheeks and his lips parted in a huge smile. If he had to describe Jongin’s laugh with one word it would be _joy_. Pure, raw joy. Probably the sound that an angel would make when a really bad joke was cracked, or something.

Jongin was beautiful.

 

**Day 160**

 

Time was running out.

Kyungsoo was very aware that Jongin only had 2 weeks left in America. Two weeks until the boy he had accidentally fallen in love with left him forever. As often as the younger boy reminded him that ‘ _you’re always welcome to visit!_ ’, Kyungsoo knew that would never happen. Those tickets were expensive and his family was about as middle class as they could get. So he continued to wipe his tears, put on a brave face, and enjoy the time he had left with his friend. It was so, so hard. He wanted to be with Jongin all the time. He also wanted to be alone to deal with his grief. Chanyeol knew he was sad. He knew everything about Kyungsoo. As much as he loved his best friend, he didn’t want to talk to Chanyeol. He wanted to talk to Jongin. Only Jongin.

The sky was dark and the stars were bright. A waning crescent smiled down into his bedroom window and he sat on the floor next to his kryptonite. Jongin tapped on his phone, scrolling through Twitter and Instagram. Sighing, Kyungsoo pulled out his phone and did the same. As usual, his Twitter feed was blown up by Chanyeol and Baekhyun and Sehun yelling about nonsense. After getting through the mini minefield they made of his timeline, he stumbled upon one of Jongin’s tweets.

**Jongin** _jjongin__ : i’ve got two weeks left here and i’ll be home. i’m gonna miss America so much lolll

Shaking his head, Kyungsoo turned off his phone and sighed. The clock flashed 10:45 PM and he yawned. “Want to eat something? My mom went grocery shopping yesterday so the pantry and fridge should be restocked.”

Jongin turned off his phone, eyes wide as a smile crept onto his face. “Yes, please. I was hoping you would ask. I’m so hungry.”

“If you’re hungry just tell me, I don’t bite. Hard.” The two of them chuckled at this and made their way down the stairs quietly.

Kyungsoo was right, the pantry was full. Ramen, various cans of soup, bags of chips, and other random snacks sat on the shelves. Shouldering the smaller boy out of the way, Jongin grabbed an unopened bag of Cheetos. They grinned at each other and made their way back up the stairs, careful to shut the bedroom door behind them. Seconds later both teens were devouring the snack.

“Kyungsoo.”

“Hm?” he almost choked on his Cheetos when Jongin said his name. Rarely did the boy ever address him in such a tone. “You seem off. It’s been this way for a few months. Why?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” lied the boy.

“Don’t start that. I’ve felt it. Everyone knows you’re upset,” Jongin’s eyes were wide and in those two beautiful orbs swirled care and sadness. Kyungsoo never wanted to lose him.

“I-” his vision went blurry and he looked down. “I’m fine.”

“Talk to me.”

“I don’t kno-” as if some dam broke, a sob immediately erupted from Kyungsoo and it alarmed even him. Quickly Jongin was right at his side, holding him. There was a hand rubbing his back and he leaned into his friend. Face buried into Jongin’s shoulder, he silently cried for a few minutes while the boy continued to comfort him. Not a single word was exchanged. The silence was nice but also blaring and Kyungsoo decided then and there that he needed to spill everything.

“Can you talk about it?” Jongin’s lips were next to his ear and his voice was gentle and understanding. Nodding, Kyungsoo gave in.

“I don’t want you to leave,” his voice was quiet and hardly audible, but the younger boy heard.

“I don’t want to leave, either.”

Kyungsoo swallowed roughly and hiccupped. “It’s so much more than that. Jongin, you can’t leave. It hurts. It really…” Jongin was patient and allowed Kyungsoo to think. “It hurts so much. It feels like my heart is being ripped in two. It feels like I’m going to drown in an ocean of sadness with weights tied at the bottom of my feet and I just can’t lose you. Losing you is going to destroy me, Jongin. I’ve grown so attached to you and letting you fly back to Korea is going to shred my emotions and leave me broken for months.”

“I know, Kyungsoo. I know,” he pulled the teary-eyed boy into a hug and rested his chin on top of his head.

“No, you don’t know,” he whispered into Jongin’s shoulder. “Jongin, I am in love with you. I have been for months and it is eating at me. Everything you do is perfect and I can’t help but stare because wow you are actually alive and breathing and then there’s me, the most mediocre human on the planet. You shine brighter than the sun, Jongin. I would die for your smile and I want to go stargazing in your eyes. I want to hold your hands for eternity and if we could sit here and hug for the rest of my life I would have no complaints. Letting you fly back to Korea is going to cut the roots of my heart in half and leave them to shrivel. Leave me to shrivel. I’ve never felt this way about someone before and I…” he sat back, shrugging Jongin’s arms off his shoulders and cupped the boy’s face. “I love you. And I’m sorry you had to see me like this.”

“Kyungsoo, I do know,” suddenly there was a hand on his hand and Jongin smiled sadly into Kyungsoo’s touch. “I’ve felt the same way, and for awhile. Kyungsoo, I love you. So much. I’m sorry that I’m breaking you. I wish… I wish I didn’t have to leave so soon. I wish you didn’t have to suffer. I can promise that everything will be okay. Even if…. Even if we can’t have each other, we can stay in contact. I promise we won’t lose each other.”

After Jongin went quiet, Kyungsoo swore he felt his heart shatter in his chest. This isn’t what he wanted. Not only was he hurting, so was Jongin. Jongin was too precious to hurt. A smile like his should never be damaged. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he dropped his hands into his lap, gaze following. He felt the boy’s intense gaze burning into his skull as if he was trying to read Kyungsoo’s thoughts. He didn’t want Jongin to look at him right now. The two sat in a deafening silence for several minutes before one of them spoke up.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Jongin.”

“Please don’t apologize.” Two arms wrapped protectively around the smaller boy’s frame and Kyungsoo returned the hug, holding on as if Jongin would disappear if he let go. Resting his forehead on the boy’s shoulder, suddenly all he knew was _Jongin_ as he took a deep breath and his homely scent flooded Kyungsoo’s senses.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Kyungsoo’s whole world was Jongin.

 

**Day 182**

 

Today was probably going to be the worst day of Kyungsoo’s life.

He’d dreaded this day for months now and the fact that it was upon them so quickly had his mind swirling in a confusing mix of anger and jealousy. There was a scowl on his lips and set his hairbrush down on the counter, running his hand over his face. His eyes were swollen from crying last night and the bags under his eyes were dark. There was a pit in his stomach that refused to leave. He looked and felt like death. Taking a breath, he retreated from the bathroom to put on some clothes. Sweatpants and a t-shirt was really calling his name so he gave in and pulled on the comfy clothes before making his way down the stairs. Chanyeol had agreed to drive him, Sehun, and Baekhyun to the airport to meet up with Jongin before he left. Kyungsoo bit his lip as his stomach made another painful twist.

A ring on the doorbell told him that his friends had arrived so he grabbed the small gift he had bought for Jongin and made his way out into the chilly air. The sun had risen a few hours ago and it was almost in the middle of the sky. _His flight and the ridiculous time charge are going to suck._ Kyungsoo thought as he walked into his driveway. Chanyeol waved from the driver’s seat and pointed his thumb to the back of the car. He piled in, taking a seat on the end and slamming the door.

“Hey, man,” was all that was said, pity and sadness leaking off of his best friend’s voice.

Swallowing, he croaked weakly, “Hey.” His voice was taut and weak and his throat ached. He had done a lot of crying in the past few days. Sehun frowned and patted the boy’s back, rubbing small circles between his shoulder blades. Kyungsoo rested his head on the window and watched the road fly by as they made their way to the airport. He really, really wanted to break down again. In his hands he tightly gripped the small box that he planned to give Jongin. It wasn’t much; just some jewelry for the boy so he wouldn’t forget Kyungsoo completely. It was the least he could do.

“So, uh,” Baekhyun started from the passenger’s seat. “What time does his flight leave?”

“Not sure,” Chanyeol replied quietly. “He said they are boarding around 2 PM, though. So I’d assume they will take off around 2:40 if on time. It’s a huge flight.”

Kyungsoo felt more tears well up in his eyes and he wiped his face with his sleeve to hide them. Sighing shakily, he sat up straight and checked his phone. The clock read 12:03 PM. They would arrive at the airport in under an hour and every second that past he felt the pit of hopelessness grow. He wanted to vomit from nerves. With shaking hands he watched the screen grow dark and tucked the device back into his pocket.

“This sucks,” Sehun said, anger on the edge of his voice.

“No kidding,” came Kyungsoo’s reply.

“I hate this. He’s so sad to leave and you’re a complete wreck. I feel like we’re losing a family member.”

“We _are_ losing a family member. He’s going back to his home country and soon enough he’ll forget our names.”

“Kyungsoo, don’t say that,” growled Chanyeol. “He won’t forget any of us. Don’t even try to think that way. And especially you. He could never forget you.”

Kyungsoo froze at these words and more tears rushed to the front of his eyes as he recalled that night two weeks ago when he had confessed to Jongin and discovered the younger boy felt the same way. It was so painful, but he didn’t regret anything. He would never regret loving Jongin.

The engine of Chanyeol’s car rumbled beneath him as they rolled to a stop, parking in the garage of the airport. Kyungsoo’s knees threatened to buckle as he climbed out of the car. He snatched his gift from the seat, shoved it into his pants pocket, and glued himself to Chanyeol’s side, allowing the tall boy to throw an arm over his shoulder. Kyungsoo wanted to collapse. The air was chilly and the wind was fast but he ignored the weather as they made their way to the entrance of the airport, emotions threatening to spill over. The glass doors slid open with a squeak and welcomed the five teens into the building. Kyungsoo took a deep breath.

“Which gate is he at?” Sehun asked. “Ah,” Chanyeol paused, looking down at his phone for the flight information. “12A. But that isn’t important to us, we are meeting him right outside of security. It’s just a short walk passed all these ticket booths.”

After weaving through a decent crowd of people, they began to made their way to the security line. Kyungsoo swallowed and noticed how tight his throat felt. His stomach really, really ached but he knew it was just his emotions. He wasn’t sure what he would do after Jongin left. He didn’t want to think about it but that moment was so soon it was hard to avoid. He couldn’t ignore these feelings.

“There he is!” exclaimed Baekhyun, snapping Kyungsoo out of his momentary trance.

He sniffed, forcing a weak smile on his face as they approached Jongin. He looked tired and sad. On his back was a backpack that was packed full and in his hands he gripped the handle to a suitcase that probably weighed as much as he did. Noticing his hands were shaking, Kyungsoo tucked them in his pockets and walked determinedly up to the foreign boy. Both of their smiles were so painfully fake that Kyungsoo couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

“Hey guys,” Jongin’s voice was weak, too. Had he been crying? His lips fell from that glorious smile of his and immediately there were tears. Kyungsoo rushed forward and hugged him tightly. He breathed in the comforting scent of Jongin’s cologne and wished so hard that he could smell it forever. He knew he couldn’t. They hugged for a few minutes, the other three boys allowing them to have their moment. They understood. There was a hand on his shoulder and Baekhyun softly ushered Kyungsoo to a bench so he could sit. He had hardly noticed the sobs that wracked his body and the tears that ran so freely down his cheeks.

“N-no,” he hiccupped, attempting to stand. Baekhyun pushed him back down.

“Shh, let us have our hugs. He isn’t going anywhere, I promise.”

He sat and watched as the other three exchanged departing words with Jongin, hugging him tightly and briefly. Chanyeol nodded at the floor and patted the younger boy’s back, obviously attempting to hide the extra glisten in his eyes. Baekhyun held Sehun in a tight embrace and shot Kyungsoo a look that told him he could spend more time with Jongin. Nodding, he stood on shaky legs and slowly made his way over to the boy.

“I… I got y-you something,” he choked out, voice quiet and hands shaking as he pulled the tiny box from his pocket. “S-so you don’t forget me.”

“Kyungsoo, I could never…,” Jongin’s lip quivered and a single, lone tear traced his cheek as he watched the smaller boy open the present. Inside were two silver rings, a garnet embedded in each one. Next to the garnet on both sides were their initials engraved in Hangul. A quiet sob shook Jongin as he took one ring and examined it, more tears falling from his sun kissed face. “You… Kyungsoo!” he wailed, stumbling forward.

Kyungsoo caught Jongin in his arms, careful not to drop the box. “Do you like them? I thought they were beautiful.”

“I love them, I love them so much,” he sobbed, backing up a little. Kyungsoo grabbed the boy’s hand and squeezed it, taking the ring from his other hand and slipped it over Jongin’s finger. He then lifted the hand to his face and kissed the ring softly, sadly. While Jongin was still watching, Kyungsoo put the other ring on his own finger, smiling up at him.

“Even though we are going to be thousands of miles apart,” he started, more tears rolling down his face. “You’ll always have a piece of me,” he jabbed a finger at the boy’s chest, right over his heart. “In here, and on your finger.”

Softly, Jongin pressed a kiss on Kyungsoo’s forehead. It was careful, yet wholesome. He was so gentle. “I’ll always have you in my heart. I love you so much.” Both of their hearts were thudding in their chests in that moment, and the shorter boy thought he might pass out.

“I love you too, I’ll always love you,” came his reply, quiet and only audible for Jongin. They stepped away, holding eye contact for a minute.

“Are you…?” Chanyeol asked, breaking the peaceful silence between them.

“Yeah, I think I should go now,” his voice was shaky and so much emotion was held in those few words Kyungsoo thought the boy might start sobbing again. “I just… thank you all. I… I know I’m going to be far away, b-but I’ll never forget any of you. You all have made such an impact on my life in such a short time that I think it would be impossible.”

They all smiled weakly at eachother and Jongin extended his suitcase handle all the way, turning to face the security line.

“Bye, Jongin,” Baekhyun, Sehun, and Chanyeol all said at once. Kyungsoo remained quiet, unable to speak as he was too choked up with emotion to make a sound. Jongin turned back to flash them one more smile.

“It’s never ‘ _goodbye_ ’, only a ‘ _see you later’_ ,” was all he said before turning and walking further into the airport, getting smaller and smaller as he continued to the security line.

Kyungsoo watched the only boy he had ever loved walk away that day.

 


End file.
